Thread covering apparatus



y 2, 0- s. w.- ALDERFER 0 ,494

THREAD COVERING AtPARATUS Filed July 2a, 1938 ATTO RN EYS INVENTOR Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,206,494 THREAD C(WIR/HWG APPARATUS Application July 28, 1938, Serial No. 221,785

s Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in thread covering apparatus, and more especially to apparatus for covering a core strand with a winding of cotton, silk, rayon, or the like.

In prior types of elastic thread covering apparatus, the cover thread is taken from a rotating spool, or bobbin, through a guide loop, or eyelet in the end of a free flyer mounted upon a flange on the end of the bobbin and the thread is wound around the core thread as the latter is slowly moved along the axis of the rotating bobbin. It is necessary to wind the covering thread upon the core under tension in order to secure uniform covering and the tension causes the cover thread to bind against the guide loop as it is drawn therethrough. This produces a momentarily high frictional contact between the guide loop and the cover thread when the machine is started and frequently resultsin breaking the cover thread. The frictional engagement between the thread and the guide loop also produces a nonuniform cover of the core thread, or strand when the apparatus is started or stopped.

The main object of this invention is to overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages of prior types of thread covering apparatus and to eliminate the breakage of the cover thread at the time of starting or stopping the apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be made evident by the following specification.

The present invention broadly comprises carrying the tensionedcover thread upon two spaced guide plates, or discs, which are. associated with one end of the bobbin. The discs are provided with rounded edges on which the thread drawn from the bobbin bears as it passes to the core strand. A flyer is freely carried between the spaced discs and is provided with a bent end which engages with and circumferentially positions the covering thread on the discs as it is drawn from the bobbin. Thus, theflyer has no radially directed load thereon and is free for rotation relative to the bobbin whereby no appreciable force is necessary to start or stop the flyer relative to the bobbin.

In the accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a detail vertical section of a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the bobbin l0, carrying a cover thread H of cotton, silk, rayon or the like thereon, is rotatably mounted on a pulley I2 which engages with a belt l3 driven by any suitable means (not shown).

A core strand M, which may be made from any suitable material, either elastic or inelastic, extends through the axial bores of the pulley l2 and bobbin [0. A spindle I5, extending axially from the bobbin, is secured to the bobbin II] at one end by a lock nut It. The core strand I4 extends through the axis of the spindle I5 which has an annular flange 20, having rounded edges, formed thereon adjacent its end. Two discs, or guide plates, l1 and I8 are carried by the spindle in spaced relation immediately adjacent the 15 bobbin Ill. The guide plates I1 and I8 extend radially beyond the edges of the bobbin l0 and have their edges curved, or flanged in towards each other to provide smoothly curved outer surfaces on both of the guide plates. A guide plate spacer I9 is carried by the spindle I5 to space i the guide plates, as desired. Figure 1 shows how the cover thread i l is drawn over the guide plates in passing from the bobbin to the core strand.

A ,flyer H is rotatively carried between the guide plates 11 and I8 by a member 22, which preferably is made from fiber or other light materlal, and which loosely engages with the guide plate spacer. Figure 3 shows that the end of the flyer 2! is bent to substantially L-shape to provide means for engaging with the cover thread H. It will be observed that the flyer 2| engages with the cover thread but does not radially position it, this being done by the edge of the guide plates.

Upon rotation of the bobbin l0 around the core strand, relative rotation is produced between the flyer 2! and the guide plates, carried by the bob- 7 bin, due to the wind resistance of the flyer and to the drag exerted thereon by the cover thread ll. Thefiyer offers sufficient resistance to withdrawal of cover thread from the bobbin to maintain it tensioned as it is wrapped around the core strand and this aids in producing a high quality product. Preferably means, such as a washer 23, is placed upon the member 22 to hold it adjacent the lower guide plate l8 and to increase slightly theresistance of the flyer to rotation. This prevents the flyer and the member 22 from moving upwardly relative to the spindle when the bobbin is rotating.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have illustrated and described the structure and mode of operation of an embodiment of the invention. However, it will be understo'od'that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for covering a core strand, a bobbin having thread wrapped thereon and having a bore through which the core strand extends, mounting means for said bobbin, means for rotating said bobbin, a spindle secured to and extending axially from said bobbin, said spindle having an annular flange formed thereon adjacent its end to guide the thread onto the core strand, two discs carried by said spindle and protruding radially beyond the edges of said bobbin, said discs being spaced from each other, a flyer loosely engaged with said spindle between said discs and being supported by the lower of said discs, said flyer terminating in an L-shaped arm which extends beyond said discs, and means bearing upon said flyer to hold it adjacent the lower of said discs, rotation of saidbobbin forcing the thread against the arm of said flyer to tension the thread which is drawn over the curved edges of said discs and led to the core strand over said annular flange.

2. In apparatus for covering a core strand, a bobbin having thread wrapped thereon and having a bore through which the core strand extends, means for rotating said bobbin, a spindle secured to and extending axially from said bobbin, said spindle having a rounded annular flange formed thereon adjacent its end, two discs carried by said spindle and protruding beyond the edges of said bobbin, said discs being spaced from each other and having their edges smoothly curved inwardly towards each other, and a flyer loosely engaged with said spindle between said discs and being supported by the lower of said discs, said flyer terminating in an L-shaped arm which extends beyond said discs and engages with said thread as it is led to the core strand, rotation of said bobbin forcing said thread against the arm of said flyer to tension it whereby said thread bears upon the curved edges of said discs and said annular flange in being wound around the core strand.

3. In thread covering apparatus, a rotatable bobbin having thread thereon, two spaced discs associated with said bobbin at one end thereof and extending out radially beyond said bobbin, said discs having their outer edges rounded off, a spindle having an annular flange adjacent the end thereof extending axially from said discs, and a flyer having a bent end carried between said discs and engaging with but not radially positioning the thread drawn from said bobbin by rotation thereof, said thread being tensioned by the drag of said flyer and bearing on the edges of said discs and said annular flange whereby and a freely mounted flyer carried between said they carry the radial force produced in tensioning the thread.

4. In thread covering apparatus, a rotatable bobbin having thread thereon, two spaced discs associated with said bobbin at one end thereof 5 and extending out radially beyond said bobbin, said discs having their outer edges rounded off,

a spindle having an annular flange adjacent the end thereof extending axially out from said discs,

10 discs and having a bent and that circumferentially positions the thread drawn from said bobbin by rotation thereof upon said discs, said flyer being free to rotate relative to said bobbin and to the thread.

5. In thread covering apparatus, a rotatable bobbin having thread thereon, two spaced discs associated with said bobbin at one end thereof and extending out radially beyond said bobbin, and a freely mounted flyer carried between said 20 discs and circumferentially positioning the thread drawn from said bobbin by rotation thereof upon said discs, said thread bearing on the edges of said discs which carry the radial force produced in tensioning the thread.

6. In thread covering apparatus, a rotatable bobbin having thread thereon, means associated with said bobbin at one end thereof and extendthread only on forward movement of the thread. 86".

7. In thread twisting apparatus, a rotatable bobbin having thread thereon, two spaced discs associated with said bobbin at one end thereof and extending out radially beyond said bobbin, a spindle having an annular flange adjacent the end thereof extending axially out from said discs, and a flyer carried between said discs and having a bent end that circumferentially positions the thread drawn from said bobbin by rotation thereof upon said discs, said flyer being free to rotate relative to said bobbin and to the thread.

8. In thread covering or twisting apparatus, the combination of a positively driven spindle, a bobbin having thread thereon carried by said spindle, disc means associated with one end of said bobbin and extending radially outwardly therefrom to support the thread drawn from said bobbin, and a freely rotatable flyer journalled upon the axis of said bobbin and extending outwardly from said disc means to engage with and produce a drag on thread drawn from said bobbin.

STERLING W. ALDERFER. 

